


Love and Marriage

by MBlair



Series: What If? [7]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Missing Scenes, Oneshot, though kinda divergent because they actually TALK
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26761789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MBlair/pseuds/MBlair
Summary: The prospect of marriage leads Elizabeth to an impasse, then an important decision.
Relationships: Elizabeth Swann/Will Turner (implied), James Norrington/Elizabeth Swann (mentioned)
Series: What If? [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925296
Kudos: 19





	Love and Marriage

**Author's Note:**

> So...yeah, this happened. Another semi-canon divergent fic that's only divergent because people actually TALK to each other! So many problems would be solved if they talked. It's also a bit of a social commentary of the time, which was interesting to write. 
> 
> Enjoy and don't forget to comment!

It didn’t take long before the pacing front of the doors ended and Weatherby took a seat just near the closest door. Even without being able to see him, Elizabeth knew her father was contemplating how to say whatever he had come to tell her. How to broach a subject that was indeed largely foreign to both of them. 

“Elizabeth,” he began hesitantly, taking another momentary pause. “I believe I must speak my mind about the decision you made today. Marriage is an important commitment, a lifelong one, one that must be made for the right reasons.” 

Elizabeth paused at the window, stepping down from the ledge for a moment to come closer to the door again. “Father,” she replied with a sigh, shaking her head. She knew it had disappointed him to put such conditions on an engagement, as well as making James wait so long for her reply. Not that it was at all her fault on that, being kidnapped by pirates the very same day. But she knew, deep in her heart, that even if the events of that night hadn’t occurred, she likely still wouldn’t have given James the answer either he or her father were looking for. 

“No, I must ask that you please listen to me,” he replied with a sigh, shaking his head. “We may not have discussed the prospect of marriage for you much before, but I fear now that I have done you a great disservice by not broaching the subject.” Another pause, a deep breath. “It is an unfortunate circumstance for the time and place in which we live that you were born a woman, though your mother and I very much wanted a daughter. Marriage is the only true way in which you can be secure and comfortable, knowing that you will be well-loved and kept safe for the remainder of your life. I am not a young man anymore and I will not always be here to protect you.” 

“Father,” Elizabeth replied again before Weatherby could continue, letting herself sit on a small stool on the other side of the door. “I understand this. I have been made well aware of my place in life. I made a promise to James, Father, and I will keep it.” 

“That is what I wanted to discuss with you. I’m proud of you for making a decision, but I am afraid you may not be. Sometimes a decision made in haste, without truly thinking it through, can be the wrong one even if it seems right at the time. I am concerned that your...conditions on accepting the Commodore’s proposal were more important to you than the man you were pledging yourself to.” 

Elizabeth sat silently as she processed everything her father was saying. She had hoped that he wouldn’t see her fairly obvious play to save Will’s life, he had turned a blind eye … or perhaps not … to the growing friendship turned romance between them. “Father, you must know I care for James very much.” 

A moment of silence passed before the question Elizabeth didn’t want to answer. That she knew she couldn’t. 

“Do you love him?” 

“I don’t know,” she whispered, barely heard over the movement of soldiers and sailors on the other side. 

“Then, my dear daughter, I believe you have a decision to make.” 


End file.
